This week the millionth person was granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme – just five months after the Scheme fully opened.The Home Office is committed to making the process of applying to the EU Settlement Scheme as simple and straightforward as possible and looks for reasons to grant status, not refuse it.This milestone has been announced alongside the latest application statistics for July, published today (15 August). This demonstrates the progress of the Scheme to date and we … [Read more...]
Umbrella companies: what their detractors don’t want you to know
Despite the important role that umbrella companies play in supporting contractors, providing all employment rights and ensuring tax and NICs are paid, there are numerous misunderstandings about how umbrellas work in practice.Five ‘myths,’ if you will, still doing the rounds, writes Julia Kermode, CEO of the Freelancer & Contractor Services Association.Myth 1Hidden charges!When trade unions first became aware of umbrella companies, they were concerned about the apparent … [Read more...]
Umbrella usage is set to soar according to 91% of Recruiters.
With the planned changes to IR35 in the Private Sector round the corner, research from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCO) shows a vast majority of professional recruitment companies are expecting Umbrella companies to be utilised far more going forward.The survey from APSCO revealed that 91% of those polled within professional recruitment believe that PSC’s will be dropped in favour of Umbrella services due to the new rules, which come into effect as of April … [Read more...]
Banking Provider Confirms No More Contractors
Banking and IT Contractors are reeling after the Morgan Stanley decision to take no more contractors. This is a direct result of Philip Hammond’s and Theresa May’s decision to roll out the public sector IR35 changes in the private sector from April 2020. This will come into effect in October 2019.Existing contractors have been offered three options:Leave Morgan Stanley Immediately Accept a contract that is inside IR35 After 22 months of option 2 they must become permanent … [Read more...]
The EU Settlement Scheme
The EU Settlement Scheme is now officially open. After a successful launch on Saturday, more than 50,000 applications were made over the weekend. This brings the total number of applications to over 280,000.Applying to the EU Settlement Scheme is completely free, and the Home Office’s aim is to make it as simple and straightforward as possible. All you need to do is complete a three-step application with a laptop, tablet or mobile device to prove your identity, confirm you live in the UK and … [Read more...]
IR35 in the Private Sector
Act Now!With all that has happened in the Public Sector since April 2017, it was inevitable that the Private Sector was going to follow suit. The only saving grace for some agencies and workers was the fact it has been pushed out to April 2020. Even with this extra time available, it would seem that many are still doing nothing about the changes and leaving their heads in the sand.What we do know is that the Private Sector will mirror the Public Sector once a further Consultation has … [Read more...]
Are Agencies taking a contractor’s earnings serious enough?
With workers becoming more and more in demand and a lack of work currently available for skilled temporary/contracted workers, there is more emphasis on the agencies to offer a better service. This is not only with their on-boarding, but also to give the worker the flexibility to be able to earn more. A happy worker will not only return, but also spread the love by recommending to fellow co-workers on their experience.This experience not only works for agencies but also from a payroll … [Read more...]
Spring Statement 2019 and Brexit
Wednesday 13th March saw Chancellor Philip Hammond deliver his Spring Statement to Parliament. The UK economy continues to steadily grow, with unemployment at historic lows and with wages increasing; providing a solid foundation on which to build Britain’s economic future the Chancellor stated.The statement forecast that employment within the UK is due to rise to 32.7 million over the next year and steadily increase over the next 5 years. The current unemployment rate of 4.0% is the lowest … [Read more...]
Brexit News Update
For those following the Brexit news; this week those campaigning for a Second Referendum to keep the UK within the EU received boost as Jeremy Corbyn committed his party to supporting a fresh referendum.This is pertinent to the financial sector as after Brexit, the trade relationship between the UK and the EU will not be the same after the implementation period. Financial services is one of the UK’s biggest exports to the world, representing almost 10% of the UK’s total exports.If a no … [Read more...]
Back to basics… Outsourcing freelancer payroll
Why does it matter?With the rise in the number of firms using temporary staff and freelance contractors, more HR departments are opting to outsource their payroll functions for such workers.There are good reasons to do so, particularly for small and medium sized businesses that wish to avoid the expense of a full-time in-house payroll team. However, there are certain key points that HRDs must bear in mind.Do……‘Due diligence’ on any payroll provider you work with. The Criminal … [Read more...]